Washington, DC - Communities are coming out against reckless sanctuary policies and in support of our Federal immigration laws that protect the American people.

Sanctuary jurisdictions continue to hinder Federal immigration enforcement efforts. These jurisdictions often refuse even basic requests for information, such as notice to Federal officials before the release of certain criminal aliens.

California has passed statewide sanctuary policies that restrict cooperation and information-sharing between Federal immigration authorities and local law enforcement. California has enacted legislation (Senate Bill 54) which restricts local law enforcement from providing Federal immigration officials with information about the release date of certain removable criminal aliens in their custody. Senate Bill 54 also restricts the actual transfer of certain criminal aliens to Federal custody.

Communities across California have come out in opposition to the State’s sanctuary policies, including Los Alamitos, San Jacinto, San Juan Capistrano, Escondido, Laguna Niguel, and Lake Elsinore among numerous others. County governments, including Orange County and San Diego County, California’s second largest county, have also joined in opposition. Community leaders have been clear in their opposition to California’s efforts to restrict local cooperation with lawful Federal immigration enforcement.

Sanctuary policies undermine lawful immigration enforcement efforts and are responsible for the release of criminal aliens into American communities.

President Trump will be meeting with local officials from California who can speak first-hand about how sanctuary policies undermine law enforcement operations and jeopardize community safety.

California and other sanctuary jurisdictions are openly obstructing Federal efforts to take custody of and remove certain criminal aliens. As a result, dangerous criminal aliens are released back into American communities, where they have the potential to commit further crimes. For example, an alleged gang member in San Francisco was arrested more than ten times between 2013 and 2017 for charges including rape, domestic battery, and assault. However, each time San Francisco denied a request to transfer the individual to Federal custody or even notify Federal officials before releasing the individual. This is an unacceptable risk to community safety.

The President has made clear that these dangerous and obstructive sanctuary policies must end.